Skipping TV ads illegal in Japan?

[sludge]

Skipping TV ads illegal in Japan?

Ok, everyone's joked at one time or another that the TV commercials during some show or other (probably the Super Bowl) were better than the actual programming. But we didn't actually mean it, did we?
In the U.S., broadcasters and advertisers have long been worried about the effects of TiVo and other digital recorders on ad-watching. That anxiety is spreading to Japan, where broadcasters are now saying that skipping commercials is actually a violation of that country's Copyright Law .
To combat the ungrateful public's growing ad-skipping, the country's National Association of Commercial Broadcasters has designated Aug. 28, the anniversary of the first ad played on Japanese TV, as "TV Commercial Day." They'll aim to highlight the benefits of TV advertising to viewers.


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[Taro Toporific]

Skipping TV ads illegal in Japan?

I first saw this early Friday only in foriegn websites like Engadget, I figured it was joke or mistake. This was not broadly covered in the Japanese press, so I figured it was just a lost-in-translation momen....especially the silly part about having a special Japanese "TV Commercial Day" to promote the "benefits" of TV advertising for us sadly uninformed masses.

[Big Booger]

The best way to avoid the ads is just say fuck you to television.

[Samurai_Jerk]

The best way to avoid the ads is just say fuck you to television.

Finally BB says something I can agree with.

[Charles]

Jeez, I remember seeing a TiVo survey that showed that some miniscule amount of commercials get skipped, something like 2%, and that many people actually rewind and REWATCH some commercials.

[plaid_knight]

I don't like commercials because they link a lifestyle (the way of living, not the condom) to the product to make you want the item.

Buy this expensive piece of shit truck and then you'll have hot babes an expensive piece of shit truck!

I don't want to feel that I am missing anything, so I will pass on commercials.

[Kurofune]

...broadcasters are now saying that skipping commercials is actually a violation of that country's Copyright Law.

That's the closest I've heard to a society being declared consumer drones.

How do they think they'd enforce this?

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

...broadcasters are now saying that skipping commercials is actually a violation of that country's Copyright Law.

That's the closest I've heard to a society being declared consumer drones.

How do they think they'd enforce this?

The NHK man might have a detector.